The race to lead the revolutionary and lucrative market of genetic publishing in humans

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Lying on his bed at the hospital, Brian Madeux smiled nervously when he was connected to an intravenous catheter.

In the bag of liquid hanging over his head are billions of tiny pieces of DNA intended to be inserted into his genome, the biological instruction manual found in every cell of the body. 39; body.

A 44-year-old man has lived since birth with a rare and potentially fatal genetic disorder called Hunter's Syndrome. He became the first person in the world to undergo a new type of treatment that releases the genes inside the body.

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They added to their bloodstream small "molecular scissors" to cut DNA in their liver cells and insert a gene for repair "We are at the beginning of a new frontier of genomic medicine," says Sandy Macrae, executive president of Sangamo Therapeutics, the biotechnology company that is developing the treatment.

To determine the success of Madeux's genome editing, the treatment marks a milestone in a new scientific field that many view as revolutionizing medicine.

More and more treatments depending on genetic publishing. From research labs to hospitals around the world, the demand for qualified genetic engineers to make it possible is expected to skyrocket. [19659007] The British government predicts that, in this country alone, more than 18,000 new jobs in the field of gene and cell therapy by 2030, while the Bureau of Employment Statistics US expects an increase in the number of jobs. 7% of biomedical engineering jobs and 13% increase in the number of medical scientists, accounting for about 17,500 additional jobs.

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But it will also be necessary to employ people outside the lab, including those who can help understand the huge amounts of data generated as medical treatments become more and more personalized based on individual genomes .

"Gene therapy is fast becoming an accepted and growing element of medical research and a developing industry," said Michele Calos, president of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy and Professor of Genetics. Stanford University

"The growth of established and new gene therapy companies should accompany an increase in jobs, as these companies recruit scientists to cover their expanding business." [19659007] "The gene therapy industry needs many graduates from scientific fields such as ica genetics, medicine, molecular biology, virology, bioengineering and chemical engineering, as well as trade graduates."

Much of the hype surrounding gene editing is due to its ability to correct genetic defects that they currently have no treatment, such as cystic fibrosis and lymphatic fibrosis. haemophilia.

Many pharmaceutical companies are betting that this will become an essential tool for the future of health care.

According to some projections, it is expected that there will be a global market for genome editing over the next five years to reach a value of $ 6,280 million. .

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Earlier this year, the British government announced that it would invest US $ 76 million in a new cell and gene therapy production center to accelerate the development of new treatments.

In the United States, the National Institute of Human Genome Research predicts that there will be a "considerable" increase in employee demand with this growth.

There are already about 2,700 clinical trials using gene therapy in development or approved worldwide, designed to combat diseases as diverse as cancer, muscular dystrophy and sickle cell disease.

Most of the small gene therapy companies behind these trials have formed partnerships or received investments from larger pharmaceutical companies, including Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Merck, and Novartis

. Quick research in staff recruitment sites reveals that most of these pharmaceutical companies are also actively seeking out their own scientists in gene therapy.

Diversity of Experiences

One of the reasons for the increased demand for skilled workers is the tremendous diversity of experience that will probably be needed. gene therapies are starting to be available.

"It's really a multidisciplinary field," said Güneş Taylor, a researcher at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

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Taylor uses gene editing techniques as part of his studies on bad chromosomes, which could eventually be used at home. people suffering from fertility problems. or disorders of badual development such as Rokitansky's syndrome, with which girls are born without a uterus.

"We need molecular scientists, engineers, and computer scientists to help us interpret the huge amounts of data produced by modern genetic techniques," he said.

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Although wages depend on the qualifications required for each role, they are likely to be above average because of the skill level required.

Medical geneticists, for example, could win. between $ 39,870 and $ 134,770 a year, while a bioinformatics technician, who helps interpret genetic data, could earn between $ 35,620 and $ 101,030 a year, according to the National Human Genome Institute.

CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful gene editing tool that exploits part of the defense mechanism used by bacteria to alter genes in other organisms.

Revolution

His invention five years ago transformed speed and cost. gene editing, allowing scientists to accurately erase faulty genes or create specific gaps in DNA into which new genes can be inserted.

This led an increase in research to identify defective genes in diseases.

Although few diseases can simply be "deactivated" by removing the defective genes, CRISPR-Cas9 has opened a new door to treat patients and solve the problem of other disorders

"This is a very stimulating moment for a molecular biologist, "says Taylor. "I wanted to be a scientist since the age of 15 and I ended up working on gene editing by chance."

"It may be that some days when I am in the lab, I do repetitive work, but every day is different and this allows me to pursue the answers to big questions."

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However, the extent to which a potential release of the gene can be achieved will depend on the evolution of the regulatory environment in the coming years.

This approach remains controversial because we know very little. about the long-term effects of changing a person's DNA.

For example, unintentional changes may cause the formation of cancer cells, or may cause an immune response if the patient's body reacts to the introduced gene.

Ethics

There are also ethical issues, particularly with regard to editing genes in ovarian cells and sperm cells rather than in other adult cells of the body.

This can be used to control transmitted diseases. from generation to generation in a family, but also raises the possibility of correcting other characteristics such as the color or size of the eye.

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For this reason, the genetic editing of plants, animals, and humans is extremely controlled in countries such as Europe, the United States , a little more flexible regulations have led to clinical trials.

China is currently in the forefront of gene editing. Earlier this year, it had been announced that it had approved clinical trials on 300 patients in which CRISPR-Cas9 would be used to treat various disorders.

Scientists in China are also using this technique to treat 86 patients with cancer and HIV.

Although many pioneers of gene therapy in China have been trained overseas, they are now training a new generation of medical students nationwide with the use of techniques such as CRISPR .

But as gene editing begins to be used in patients, some fear the idea of ​​manipulating the code that gives life to everyone.

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The use of genetics to diagnose diseases that can be transmitted to children and grandchildren is already causing a rapid increase in another occupation that did not exist a few years ago: genetic counselors.

"Patients and staff Doctors have to make difficult decisions involving genetics and need help interpreting the information they receive," says Christine Patch, Vice President of the European Society of Genetics human and genetic counselor.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks genetic counselors as one of the 20 fastest-growing jobs in the country.

This predicts the number of jobs available for experts capable of interpreting genetic information, providing support and advice to medical staff and 29% by 2026, the direction of patients in decision making will increase.

"Gene therapy is going to make difficult decisions for patients and they need to take into account the risks, as they would with other treatments," warns Patch.

"To do this, you need to be able to understand what is involved, and health professionals will also need to increase their genetic knowledge, which will strengthen the role of people who have experience in this area. .

You can read the original article in English here.

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